Maryland Governor to Attend Governors Meeting After White House Reversal

Wes Moore will participate after initial exclusion, but says he won't engage in "political stunts"

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) will attend the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting with President Trump on Friday after the White House reversed course and extended an invitation to the Democratic governor. Moore, the vice chair of the NGA, had initially been disinvited along with Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D), but the White House changed direction after the Republican NGA chair said the meeting would not proceed without all Democratic governors included.

Why it matters

The annual NGA meeting is a traditionally bipartisan event, and the White House's initial decision to exclude Democratic governors broke with decades of precedent. The reversal highlights the ongoing political tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic state leaders.

The details

Moore said he will attend the meeting but will not participate in "political stunts." The White House had initially only invited Republican governors to the event, but changed course after the Republican NGA chair said the meeting would not proceed without Democratic participation. It's unclear if the White House also extended an invitation to Colorado's Jared Polis, who was also initially disinvited.

  • The NGA meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • Last week, the White House rescinded invitations to Moore and Polis to attend the annual White House dinner for governors on Saturday.

The players

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland and vice chair of the National Governors Association.

Jared Polis

The Democratic governor of Colorado.

Kevin Stitt

The Republican governor of Oklahoma and chair of the National Governors Association.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States.

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What they’re saying

“I will attend today's business meeting with my colleagues at the White House. But let me be abundantly clear: I will not participate in political stunts.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (The Hill)

“Americans are exhausted by the division and toxicity out of Washington, and we all pray for better. In that spirit, I look forward to clearly laying out what Marylanders and Americans need and hope to find a White House committed to delivering just that.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (The Hill)

“A week ago, the president broke a decades-long, bipartisan tradition and inexplicably disinvited me from the dinner on Saturday night. I thank all of my Democratic colleagues for standing with me.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (The Hill)

What’s next

It is unclear if the White House also extended an invitation to Colorado Governor Jared Polis to attend the NGA meeting on Friday.

The takeaway

The White House's reversal on inviting Democratic governors to the traditionally bipartisan NGA meeting highlights the ongoing political divisions in Washington, but Governor Moore has signaled he will focus on finding common ground and delivering results for his constituents rather than engaging in partisan stunts.